What is Issue Management?

Agenda for Today Presented By Shivender Verma Agenda Some concepts…. Revisited !!! Key areas of Project Management What is Issue Management? Why do Issues Arise ??? Issues – Some Examples I am not interested in Issue Management… Approach for Issue Management Any tips when Issues arise? Characteristics of Issue Management System Issue Resolution Checklist

Some concepts…. Revisited !!! A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to produce a unique product or service Customer Requirements satisfied/exceeded Completed within allocated time frame Completed within allocated budget Acceptance by the customer Scope creep Poor requirements gathering No Functional input in planning Application of Skills, Knowledge Tools Techniques Project Management - Effective Management of the Triple Constraints Requirements – Needs Identified or Unidentified Expectations Cost/Resources – People, Money, Tools Schedule/Time to meet the needs and expectations of stakeholders for a project Purpose of project management is prediction and prevention, NOT recognition and reaction Lack of sponsorship Unrealistic planning and scheduling/Impossible schedule commitments Lack of resources Issue Management

A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to produce a unique product or service

Customer Requirements satisfied/exceeded

Completed within allocated time frame

Completed within allocated budget

Acceptance by the customer

Scope creep

Poor requirements gathering

No Functional input in planning

Application of

Skills,

Knowledge

Tools

Techniques

Project Management - Effective Management of the Triple Constraints

Requirements – Needs Identified or Unidentified Expectations

Cost/Resources – People, Money, Tools

Schedule/Time

Lack of sponsorship

Unrealistic planning and scheduling/Impossible schedule commitments

Lack of resources

Key areas of Project Management How project communications will be handled to ensure all project stakeholders are informed Communications Management Quality Assurance Plan – How quality control is measured and satisfied Quality Management Resolving Problems that will impede progress of project Issue Management Ensuring all the appropriate work within the project scope is completed and only the work within scope is being conducted Scope Management Development of the project team, reporting structure, resource capacity Human Resource Management Risk Management plan to have all project stakeholders in agreement on how project risks will be handled (aversion, mitigation or assumption) Risk Management How costs are controlled and incurred costs are paid Cost Management Define how changes to the projects scope will be executed Change Control Management

How project communications will be handled to ensure all project stakeholders are informed

Quality Assurance Plan – How quality control is measured and satisfied

Resolving Problems that will impede progress of project

Ensuring all the appropriate work within the project scope is completed and only the work within scope is being conducted

Development of the project team, reporting structure, resource capacity

Risk Management plan to have all project stakeholders in agreement on how project risks will be handled (aversion, mitigation or assumption)

How costs are controlled and incurred costs are paid

Define how changes to the projects scope will be executed

What is Issue Management? Detailed set of interlinked activities Plan Process to make the appropriate people aware of the issue ….. ……. and then resolve the issue as quickly as possible In order to solve this problem , you have to talk to knowledge holders and to the issue stakeholders … And build the bridge to close that gap. Life does not often go according to plan and there might be issues , gaps that occur Issue – Deviation from Common Understanding Process of building the bridge Issue Management

Detailed set of interlinked activities

Why do Issues Arise ??? Communication Communication flow in businesses today is hierarchical, information flows from the top down Inhibits flow of information Provides Low visibility of issues Creates Information Solutions Unable to Network Stakeholders to Build Consensus Improper communication results in Crisis Reduces Productivity E-Mail Based Management Most companies utilize emails for Communication E-Mails are not collaborative Lack the threading that is needed to resolve issues quickly Crisis Management Reactive, Fighting fires Many companies today find solutions to problems after they arise Fire-fighting or Crisis Management is an inefficient way to resolve issues

Inhibits flow of information

Provides Low visibility of issues

Creates Information Solutions

Unable to Network Stakeholders to Build Consensus

Improper communication results in Crisis

Reduces Productivity

E-Mails are not collaborative

Lack the threading that is needed to resolve issues quickly

Many companies today find solutions to problems after they arise

Fire-fighting or Crisis Management is an inefficient way to resolve issues

Issues – Some Examples Resources Project team lacks the skills to complete this project Project team is too large Project team is too small Project team is poorly organized Project team is hampered by personal conflicts or internal politics Strategy The Project does not meet project selection criteria Project is insufficiently funded Lack of visible management support for the project Project communication has been ineffective Project management process has been too lax Project management has been too cumbersome Definition Project goals Project scope Project requirements Project deliverables

Resources

Project team lacks the skills to complete this project

Project team is too large

Project team is too small

Project team is poorly organized

Project team is hampered by personal conflicts or internal politics

Strategy

The Project does not meet project selection criteria

Project is insufficiently funded

Lack of visible management support for the project

Project communication has been ineffective

Project management process has been too lax

Project management has been too cumbersome

Definition

Project goals

Project scope

Project requirements

Project deliverables

Issues – Some Examples Schedule Project schedule is overly aggressive Equipment delays have hampered project schedule Technical Technical needs and circumstances have changed Dependencies Business needs and circumstances have changed Issues are restraints to accomplishing the deliverables of the project.

Schedule

Project schedule is overly aggressive

Equipment delays have hampered project schedule

Technical

Technical needs and circumstances have changed

Dependencies

Business needs and circumstances have changed

I am not interested in Issue Management… Go On … I am listening…

I am not interested in Issue Management… Missed Deadlines Increased Budgets Dissatisfaction Within the Ranks Missed Milestones Critical Path Delays Sub-standard Project Team Performance Sub-standard Deliverable Performance What Does a “Troubled Project” Look Like?

Missed Deadlines

Increased Budgets

Dissatisfaction Within the Ranks

Missed Milestones

Critical Path Delays

Sub-standard Project Team Performance

Sub-standard Deliverable Performance

Approach for Issue Management Process to make the appropriate people aware of the issue and then resolve the issue as quickly as possible 1 2 3 4 5 6 Define the Issue Management process Define what an issue is Keep an issues log Prioritize your issues Assign an owner to the issue Report status of issues to Executive Staff

Any tips when Issues arise? Good general analysis skills Classify and identify the cause of an issues Formal techniques - Cause and effect analysis, root cause analysis and Pareto analysis PM should have an activity in the workplan Activity for every week to follow-up on open issues to ensure they are being diligently resolved Solve the root cause of the issue … not just the symptom Root cause can usually be found by asking a series of 'why' questions…Again and Again Issues with no good alternatives Try to get the approvers to understand that a delay in the resolution decision usually does not make the result any less palatable Follow your issues management process Issues management tends to go more smoothly when the entire project team is comfortable working through the process from the very start Get the client engaged in the solution Break down large issues into logical sub issues In many cases, the resolution of an initial sub-issue will drive the solution for the remainder of the issue Handling issues arriving in pairs Look to see if some are related Try to resolve the issue that looks like more of a root cause

Classify and identify the cause of an issues

Formal techniques - Cause and effect analysis, root cause analysis and Pareto analysis

Activity for every week to follow-up on open issues to ensure they are being diligently resolved

… not just the symptom

Root cause can usually be found by asking a series of 'why' questions…Again and Again

Try to get the approvers to understand that a delay in the resolution decision usually does not make the result any less palatable

Issues management tends to go more smoothly when the entire project team is comfortable working through the process from the very start

Get the client engaged in the solution

In many cases, the resolution of an initial sub-issue will drive the solution for the remainder of the issue

Look to see if some are related

Try to resolve the issue that looks like more of a root cause

Characteristics of Issue Management System Issues are restraints to accomplishing the deliverables of the project. Should be identified throughout the project and logged and tracked through resolution. When not easily resolved are escalated for resolution. Control Plan Monitor Processes for Where issues will be maintained and tracked The process for updating issues regularly The escalation process The vehicle by which team members can access documented issues Early Detection Dashboard Impact Assessment My Action Items Targeted Reporting Timely communication Automatic Notification/ Alerts Crisis Avoidance Effective Decision Making Knowledge Repository

Issues are restraints to accomplishing the deliverables of the project.

Should be identified throughout the project and logged and tracked through resolution.

When not easily resolved are escalated for resolution.

Processes for

Where issues will be maintained and tracked

The process for updating issues regularly

The escalation process

The vehicle by which team members can access documented issues

Early Detection

Dashboard

Impact Assessment

My Action Items

Targeted Reporting

Timely communication

Automatic Notification/ Alerts

Crisis Avoidance

Effective Decision Making

Knowledge Repository

Issue Resolution Checklist         Include in your issue management process a means of escalating issues that have reached dispute status to a dispute resolution/management process. Establish Escalation Process Consider the subject matter and impact to the schedule when assigning the priority. Assign priority to the issue These issues may stem from a common problem. Search for a root-cause when several issues are reported together Ensure attendance of people with decision-making authority in these meetings. Conduct periodic issue resolution meetings From very early in the project Engage the customer in issue resolution If an issue must be escalated, alternative solutions should be proposed along with the issue to facilitate decision making. Encourage team members to resolve issues at the lowest level possible for the Project Manager to follow-up on open issues Include an activity in the work plan The project can keep making progress Strive to resolve issues quickly

Issue Resolution Checklist Contd.       Track the issue resolution effort Add issue resolution tasks to the work plan Assist the team in understanding and resolving issues identified during a meeting or discussion Use a threaded conversation mechanism Convey that the issue is being resolved with a sense of urgency. Make personal contact with the impacted parties Easier to understand and resolve in a timely manner. Break large, difficult issues down into logical sub-issues There should not be many unresolved items on the log at any one time. Items that are really risks should be moved to the Risk Management process. Review the issues log on a regular basis If the issue resolution causes the budget, effort or duration of the project to change. Initiate the Change Management process

That’s All Buddies

Tell me MORE … Issue Management Process 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 To project team members and other appropriate stakeholders through the project Status Report, status meetings and other appropriate communication means Communicate issue status and resolutions If the resolution of an issue causes the budget or duration of the project to change, the current Project Definition should be updated. Update Project Definition Add the appropriate corrective activities to the workplan to ensure the issue is resolved. Update Workplan Document the issue resolution briefly on the Issues Log. Document Issues Log Document the resolution or course of action on the Issues Form. Document Issues Form If resolving the issue will involve changing the scope of the project, close the issue now and use the scope change management procedures instead to manage the resolution Resolve the Issue The various alternatives and impacts on schedule and budget The project manager should take the issue, alternatives and project impact to the people that need to be involved in the issue resolution Document the Issues Form For each option, estimate the impact to the project in terms of budget, schedule and scope Team member will investigate options that are available to resolve the issue PM should also determine who needs to be involved in the decision making process Assign the issue to a project team member for investigation The Issues Log contains one entry per issue and is used for tracking purposes Enter the issue in Issue Log If an issue cannot be documented, there is no way it can be resolved Formally Document using Issues form